Truck Purchasing

I know there have been many questions on this, but the questions and answers do not directly answer my concerns.

I have a total of 9 years experience behind the wheel. 3 of which are Commercial OTR. The rest are military. I have been a company driver for these 3 years and have run my truck as if I was an O/O and paid as such.

Meaning I keep track of all receipts and expenses to the truck. This along with all expenses for being on the road.

I pretty much have everything I would need to go into my own truck so I would not have expenses there.

Here is what I'm looking at doing. Purchasing my own truck and then contracting to company to haul their freight. I have the total for the truck (new). I have called several companies and talked with them about what they require as far as permits, insurance, etc. If they have a trailer rental fee, what they would do (if anything) to my truck. And of course what and how I would be paid.

So here is my question. What would you do? What would you require to be be paid per mile if you just bought a new truck.
What companies would you look at?
Finally, who would you look at for financing and insurance.

Reason I am asking is this. I have looked at a lot of companies and many have their own ups and downs. Most I am looking at are major companies. Where I gain in one area I lose in another. Better pay=truck restricted. No truck restriction=less pay or trailer rental per mile.
I also looked into financing and insurance. There are a lot of companies to choose from and I don't want to be taken for a ride or find out the insurance won't pay out if something happens. So I'm looking for good recommendations.

Please don't tell me what kind of truck to buy or ask what it costs or "if I knew what the costs were." I have all of that already. I just want to know what you would accept, where you would consider, and where you would recommend for finance and insurance.

I have a good savings account already in place and clean license/DAC with excellent (A+ paper) credit rating.

Thanks for the help.

 

I thank you for the feed back. According to my figures that is about what I was looking at.
At this time I am just looking at making a profit. I don't have a whole to worry about as I have little debt (mortgage) left and a reliable stable income to fall back on. Yet, I don't want to be foolish and take less than a fair going rate and have this turn into a money hole either.

I'm taking a lot of time and researching this very carefully making sure all my paperwork, figures, and contingency planning is done before I sign anything. If it doesn't look like it will work then I will stay put until things look better.

I should probably add that I'm looking at contracting to a carrier. I don't want the additional hassle at this time of hiring a broker or having to choose my own loads. I want to take it slow at first so that I can deal with one unforseable problem at a time.